Rotary engine.



PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

H. W. GARPENTER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 21, 1901.

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N0 MODEL.

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H. W. CARPENTER.

ROTARY ENGINE. I

APPLICATION FILED 00121, 1901. no MODEL, a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 717,541; 7 PATENTED JAN. 6,.1903.

' H. W. CARPENTER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00121, 1901. N0 MODEL. s sums-sans: 3.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY W. CARPENTER, OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,541, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed October 21, 1901. Serial No. 79,432. (No model.)

To alZ whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, HENRY W. CARPENTER, of the United States Marine Corps, a' citizen of the United States, stationed at the Washington Navy Yard, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the followingto be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to improvements in rotary engines, and more particularly to that classofrotaryenginesemployingaconcentrically-mounted piston carrying a plurality of abutments and one or more automatically-operated valves for controlling the supply and exhaust of fluid-pressure to and from said piston.

Among the special features of my invention is the improved valve mechanism which enables the motive fluid to be cut olf from the cylinder, so as to utilize the expansive properties of the steam or other power em ployed to drive the piston through the remaining portion of its travel. In accomplishing this result a novel form of valve is employed in which the steam or other motive fluid is utilized to actuate the valve or valves controlling the admission and exhaust ports of the cylinder, said valve being also operated by the pistons of the engine.

Another feature of my invention is the novel mechanism for reversing the engine, whichis accomplished by the movement of one lever only.

My invention contains other features 0 novelty, that will hereinafter appear.

In order that my said invention may be more fully understood, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an engine embodying my said invention, one of the cylinder-heads being removed. Fig. 2'is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 4. represents a central vertical section through one of the reversing-valves. Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section of the same on the line 5 5, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a similar View" on the line 6 6, Fig. 4, also looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2,. and 3, A represents the cylinder or engine casing. Revolubly mounted within the cylinder or bore A of this casing A is a rotating piston B, having a plurality of radially-disposed abutments Z) I). These abutments Z) Z) are provided with any'suitable form of packing, such packing being indicated in the drawings by Z). I) is a spring, one or more of which may be placed behind the packing to compensate for wear. To prevent displacement of the packing, the same may be slotted, into which slot apin b may be inserted. Upon eachside of the piston-abutments b b is formed a recess b 19 having inclined sides running from said abutments, the remaining surface b b3 between the abutments bb being turned true with the center of the shaft 0. b b are circular platesor disks secured, as by the screws 19 to each side of the piston B, the peripheries of these plates being provided with the packing-rings b adapted to bear upon the cylinder-walls. The plates 19 b are preferably set into the walls of the cylinder heads or plates A A for the purpose of allowing the oscillating valves D D to operate between the inner walls of these platesb? If. ,These plates A A may be secured into position by the bolts 0. a orin any other suitable manner. D D are a pair of oscillating valves rotatably mounted upon the stud-shafts dd, respectively, within the valve-casings E E, respectively. These valves are cutaway upon the side adjacent the piston in an arc of a circle struck from the center of the piston and are adapted to fit snugly within said valve-casings. d to d are oppositely disposed recesses or cut-out portions upon each of these valves one piston-abutment, as shown by the valve D in Fig. 1, the portfis in position to admit pressure to the receding abutment, while the portfopposite is in a position to exhaust the fluid-pressure from in front of the next approaching abutment. As the piston B rotates the end of the valve D rides up the inclined face of the recess 19 until it reaches the surface b when the supply of pressure will be cut oit from the piston-abutment, such Dosition of the valve being shown by the valve D, Fig. 1, in which case the supply of pressure has been cutoff from the port f the expansive properties of the steam or other fluid-pressure being utilized to drive the abutment through its remaining portiontot' its power-stroke. While the supply of fluidpressure has been cut off when the valve occupies the position shown byD, Fig. 1, the eX- haust from the cylinder is still'open, thereby preventing compression within the cylinder. h h are a pair of pipes, each of which communicates with the segmentalgroove d upon the periphery of the valve D, a similar pair of pipes being provided which communicate with the groove 61 of the valve D. Each of these grooves d d is divided by a stationary abutment e 6, respectively, the pipes h h communicating with each side of the abutment 6 and the pipes h h entering upon each side of the abutment 6', said abutments e e being both stationary within the valvecasings E E, respectively. When the piston B is rotating in the direction of the arrows the valves D D occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, fluid-pressure being admitted into the groove 01 through the pipe by tending to keep the valve tilted, as shown, while the pipe it upon the opposite side is open to exhaust.

H H are a pair of reversing-valves mounted upon the back of the engine-casing, each being provided with the valve-plug I 1 one of these valves being provided for each pair of admission andexhaustports. Thevalve-plug I is provided with the channel 75, to which the fiuid-pressure-supply pipe K is constantly in communication. This channel branches out into the two passages t' t", the passage t' being adapted to register with the portfof the cylinder when the valve-plug I is in its forward position and the passage 71 to register with the portf when the valve-plug I is in its rearmost position. i is a channel for carrying off the exhaust to the exhaust-pipe J, with which it is constantly in communication. This channel t branches out into the two passages and 11 the cylinder-portf when the valve-plug I is in its rearmost position registering with the passage i while the passage t" is supplying fluid-pressure to the portf and the passage 1' registering with the port f" while the valve-plug is in its forward position and when the passage dis supplying fluidpressure to the port f, it being obvious that to reverse the flow of fluid-pressure into the cylinder through the ports f f the valve-plug I is shifted either forward or rearward, according to the direction in which it is desired to run the engine. Mounted upon the top of this valve H is a valve H a similar valve I-I being provided in connection with the lower valve 11. This valve H is provided with a valve-plug I, fitted to reciprocate steam-tight within the casing H This valve-plug I is provided with the admission-passages Z5, which are constantly in communication with the supply-pipe I by means of the passage 1 The ports are so arranged that when the valve-plug I is in its forward position the passage l registers with the pipe 71., and when said valve-plug is in its rearmost position the passage Z registers with the pipe h. Z Z are exhaust-passages in constant communication with the exhaust-pipe J through the passage The exhaust-passages Z Z are so arranged that when said valve-plug t" is in its forward position and the supply-port Z registers with the pipe h the exhaust-passage Z registers with the pipe h, and when the valve-plug I is in its rearmost position and the passage Z registers with the pipe h the exhaust-passage Z will register with the pipe h. In reversing the engine these valve-plugs I and I must be reciprocated together and in the same direction. This is accomplished in a simple and elfective manner, as will now be described.

The bracket N is attached to the enginecasing, as shown, upon which the lever N is pivoted, as by the bolt N".

N N are links pivoted to the lever N at equal distances from the pivot N to which are connected the valve-stems M M of the valve-plugs I 1 respectively, stufling-boxes m m being preferably provided. Links 02 n are also connected to the lever N, to which are connected the valve-stems m m of the valves I 1 said valve-stems being provided with the stuffing-boxes m m. It will be obvious now that when the lever N is swung in either direction the valve-stems m M of the two upper valves are swung in one direction simultaneously, while the valvestems M m of the lower valves are swung in the opposite direction, thereby completely reversing all the ports of the engine. The two steam-supply pipes K K after leaving the valves H H, respectively, connect with the pipe K a Valve 0 being inserted in said pipe to control the supply of fluid-pressure to the said valves H H.

0 is a four-way valve into which lead the ously set into the position shown in Figs. 1. and 2, fluid-pressure is allowed to pass from the pipes I 1 into the passage Z in each valve H 11*, allowing pressure into the pipes h and 71 respectively. As the pipe it commu nicates with the groove 01 in the periphery of the valve D, said valve D will be rocked into the position shown in Fig. 1. The pipe h communicates with the segmental groove d of the valve D, and when fluid-pressure is admitted thereto said valve D is rocked into the position shown in Fig. 1. At the same time fluid-pressure is suppliedto the valves H H through the pipes K K. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that from here it passes into the channel it, passage 2', and outinto the portf of the cylinder. The valve 11 being in just the reverse position fluid-pressure is admitted to the cylinder-port f When the valves are in this position, the cylinder-ports ff constitute exhaust-ports, the portf registering withthe passage 71 in the .valve H, which communicates with the channel 9?, discharging into the exhaust-pipe J, the exhaust from the port f passing through the valve l and discharging into'the exhaust-pipe J. As the valves occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1 and fluidpressure is admitted to the ports F F respectively, it will be seen that the pressure from the portf will be admitted to the cylinder behind the abutment b, the end of the valve D resting in the bottom of the recess b and the portf being open to exhaust. At this time the valve D will be in such a posi-- tion that the end of said valve will rest upon the surface b consequently cutting off communication between the port f and the cylinder, but leaving the port f open to exhaust. Now as the shaft revolves the end of the valve D will ride up the inclined surface of the recess b lessening the opening between the portf and the cylinder, until the surface b is reached. The supply of steam from the portf will be entirely out off from the cylinder, the valve D then occupying a position similar to the position previously 00- cupied by the valve D. This valve D will remain in this position until the .next abutment is brought beneath the same. In the meantime the expansive properties of the steam or other motive power is utilized in driving the abutment through the remaining portion of the stroke. At the opposite side of the engine-casing the valve D will hold the position shown in Fig. 1 until the abutment b comes beneath the same. When this occurs, the said valve D is rocked back until its inner curved surface forms a complete circle with the inner wall of the cylinder, allowing the abutment to pass. When said abutment has passed said valve, said valve is forced by the fluid-pressure acting in the groove (i down into the recess b, opening the admission-port f to the space behind the abutment b, the pressure being cut off as the edge of the valve D rides up the inclined surface of the recess 1) until the rounded surface Z) is reached, when the supply of fluid-pressure will be entirely out off from the piston through this valve D. It will thus be seen that while one valve is admitting the fluid-pressure to the cylinder the other valve has cut off the supply, utilizing the expan sive properties of the steam or other motive power to drive the piston-abutment through the remaining portion of its travel until the next approaching abutment reaches the valve.

. To reverse the engine, it is simply necessary to swing the lever N in the opposite direction, the ports in the valves II to H being completely reversed through this lever. Fluid-pressure will then be admitted into the pipes h 71 causing the valves D D to occupy a position exactly opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. At the same time fluid-pressure will be admitted to'ports f and f the ports ff constituting the exhaust -ports, causing the piston to rotate in an opposite direction, as will be readily seen.

When the engine is to be stopped, it is preferable to cut off the fluid-supply to the cylinders by the valve 0, leaving the valve 0 open until the engine has stopped. This will insure the perfect action of the valves D D while the engine is in motion, the closing of the valve 0 completely cutting off the supply of fluid-pressure to the engine.

While I have shown my invention as applied to an engine having three abutments on the pistons and a pair of oscillating valves, it will be obvious that l nay employ any number of abutments to meet varying require ments and valves to correspond. It is also obvious that many modifications may be made in the details of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, it being understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details shown.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letter Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with the engin'e casing, and oscillating valves mounted therein provided with recesses in their peripheries, communicating with the fluid-supply ports of the casing; of arotating piston mounted therein, abutments carried upon the periphery thereof providing steamchambers around the periphery of the piston between the abutments, a shoulder provided upon said piston between said abutments,.

upon which one edge of each of said valves is adapted to ride, a recess being provided at each end of said shoulder adjacent said abutments adapted to receive the edge of said valves at the beginning of the stroke of the piston.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder-casing, oscillating valves mounted therein, provided with peripheral grooves,

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a dividing-partition extending into each of said grooves from said casin g, steam ports leading into said grooves from each side of said partition, said valves being also provided with recesses adapted to establish com munication between the source of supply and the piston-chamber; of a piston rotatively mounted in said cylinder-casing, abutments carried by said piston, curved shoulders between said abutments upon which one edge of each of the said valves rides, a recess or cut-away portion having upwardly-inclined faces being provided at each end of said shoulder adjacent said abutments, into which the end of said valves is adapted to drop, admitting steam to the cylinder until the curved shoulderis reached, when said valves will be moved to cut off the supply of steam during the remainder of the stroke.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with an engine-casing, recessed valves mounted therein, adapted to control the cylinder-ports, and fluid-pressure mechanism for-automatically operating said valves; of a piston rotatably mounted therein, abutments carried by said piston, recesses being provided adjacent said abutments, to receive the endsof said valves to admit fluid-pressure to said cylinder, and a curved shoulder between each of said abutments upon which the ends of said valves ride, cutting off the supply of fluidpressure to said cylinder, substantially as described.

, 4. In a rotary engine, the combination with an engine casing, and oscillating valves mounted therein, said valves being provided with recessed portions adapted to control the supply of fluid-pressure to said cylinder; of a piston rotatably mounted therein, abutment-s carried thereby, recesses being provided adjacent to said abutments adapted to receive the ends of said valves to admit fluid-pressure to said cylinder, and a rounded shoulder extending from the recess of one abutment to the recess of the next abutment upon which the ends of said valves ride to cut oft the supply of fluid to said cylinder.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with the engine-casing, provided with the cylindercasing, and valve recesses communicating therewith; .of a cylinder rotatably mounted in said cylinder-casing, valves mounted in said valve-casings adapted to open and close the fluid-pressure supply and exhaust ports to the cylinder, a valve-casing, mounted upon the outside of the engine-casing adjacent said valve-recesses, piston-"alves mounted in said casings, ports in said valves and valve-casings communicating with the supply and exhaust ports of the cylinder, and a reversinglever pivoted upon said engine-casing, adapted to simultaneously reverse said pistonvalves.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with the engine-casing, having a cylinder-casing, and valve-recesses communicating with said cylinder-casing, of a piston mounted in said cylinder-casing, valves mounted in said valverecesses, peripheral grooves provided upon said valves, spaces being formed upon each side of said groove, pipes leading to said spaces, a valve-casing located upon the outside of said casing adjacent said valve-casings, a piston-valve mounted in each of said valvecasings, to which said pipes lead, said valves being provided with ports for reversing the supply of fluid-pressure to said spaces, steamadmission valves also mounted in said valvecasings, ports extending from said steam-admission ports to said reversing-valves, and a reversing-lever pivotally mounted upon said engine-casing and connectedio said fluid-supply and reversing valves.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W. CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

WM. H. MELLACH, JOHN H. KING. 

